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CMC Meeting, November 07

The next meeting of the Christchurch Meccano Club is the break-up on Friday 7th December.

The November meeting clashed badly with Christchurch Show Week, not to mention the duck season (!), so was not as well attended as usual.  Plenty enough models, though, as you can see...

The challenge

"Build a Meccano model, using only the parts available in a 1927 outfit 00."

Not an easy one, this, as there are a very limited number of parts.  The most significant is probably the lack of nuts.  Although there are only 14 bolts part 37b, there are 6 longer bolts, and four set screws (in the 1'' pulleys) should you need them.  There are only 20 nuts, which causes a problem if you want to lock-nut anything.  The challenge was inspired by an idea of Peter Harwood's at the West London Meccano Society – he's trying to build up a collection of 'new' outfit 00 models to inspire kids.

To give you an idea of the way Meccano sets have got smaller, the 1927 outfit 00 is very similar in size to a 1960's outfit 1, and therefore a 1970's outfit 2, minus the flexible plates.  One of the best features is that all of the parts in the outfit 00 continued to be manufactured throughout, and so pretty much everyone could put together the correct parts, whatever their Meccano collection!

To see a list of the parts available, look at last month's page by clicking here.

We'll start with this mobile crane from Brian Carter, our very first 'online' entry to a challenge, as Brian couldn't make it to the meeting.  The modern plastic bushes are substitutes for spring clips, but we get the point.  This crane has rotation, translation, and hook movements, and looks well-balanced too.

Below, we see a pair of models from Neil and Grace.  Neil's excellent and whimsical model is a "Kiwi camping kit", consisting of a chair, a table with folding legs, and of course a fishing rod.  To the right, Grace's entry is a tricycle.

To the right, a step-ladder from Charles, built from 1950's parts.  The model does a few things you might not immediately expect – apart from folding up (by moving the lock-nutted struts off the axle), and rolling on the rear two wheels, it can also be extended fully.

When fully extended, the flat trunnions on the base hold the angle correctly, and the fishplates bolted to the top step (notionally as paint or tool holders) prevent the ladder from unfolding too far.  The wheels then act as stand-offs for the wall.  At least that's the idea.

There were a couple of other entries that were disqualified for using extra parts – a 1½''x½'' double-angle strip and a six-hole bush wheel? What were you thinking, Cameron? :-)

But the winner by a comfortable margin was Hugh's entry – a flying fox which worked well (with the addition of some supports to hold the top pylon up high enough).  The offset weight mounted on the handle of the crank is an excellent balancing act.

Next month's meeting is the Christmas break-up meeting, and so there is no challenge set this month.  Be aware, though, that because will will have two months to complete the next challenge you can expect it to be fiendish!

Club News

Gordon Good, the distributor of Meccano in New Zealand, has contacted the club asking us to help with a display of Meccano in the window of Ballantynes (the major department store in Christchurch). 

Mike and Charles met with Ballantynes' toy buyer last week, and sorted out some details.  The most significant news is that they don't need the display to stick exclusively to Meccano models that are currently on sale.  In fact, they were particularly interested in some large old models, including some complete outfits, in order to create a semi-historical display.  Their objective is to attract a new demographic to their window displays – the over-40 male! The display will sit opposite the traditional Christmas window displays, appealing to a completely different market.

The benefit to the club is that we will be able to display a reasonably significant message in the window, in order to publicise the club and attract new members. 

A general call was put out for the club members to lend good condition models for the display, and help with the set-up.  It would be best to have more models than we need, and remove them to make the best display, rather than have too few. 

A full report will follow in next month's club page, including photos.

Other models on display

In connection with the potential window display, the two significant elements that are required are lights and movement.  But, on the other hand, this display will be up for a month or more.  So we can't have too much movement, for reliability reasons! The choice of the Meccano Double Flyboats was pretty obvious, then, as it's quick and easy to build at short notice.

At the club meeting, it could be seen with one wheel completed (including lighting), and only the second wheel needing to be completed and various finishing touches made.

To see a page with more details on the construction and details of this model, including lots of photos and video, click here.

Below, we see a nice collection of more modern models, mostly with slight variations and improvements over the models in the instruction manuals.  This display was from Neil, and the models will be used in the window display next month.

The December meeting

The December meeting is usually the best-attended meeting of the year, and it's what used to be called the "break-up" meeting.  Bring a friend along, and a model, and a plate!